It’s all gearing up for a right cracking day at the bandstand relaunch event.

Queen's Park Arena and bandstand

John A. MacInnes

Published:09:42Wednesday 24 May 2017

Share this article

This weekend sees the relaunch of the Queen’s Park Arena bandstand, and what better time to do it, than at the Southside Fringe Festival.

The local community and public are invited to a Community Open Day at the Arena from noon on Saturday, May 27 to hear more about the venue, the work of the developer Inhouse, and the events planned for summer 2017 and beyond.

Local MSP Nicola Sturgeon will be cutting the ribbon to celebrate the relaunch of the venue following it’s shutdown due to essential works in Queen’s Park by Scottish Water.

Following the official opening there will be entertainment and live music to kick off the finale weekend of the Southside Fringe Festival.

Queen’s Park Arena has been through many phases since its original construction in the 1890s.

Better known back then as the Queen’s Park Bandstand, by 1912 it was relocated to its current site in the park. In 1930 the original ornate wrought iron bandstand was replaced and the amphitheatre style seating, a more familiar sight to today’s southsider, was created.

A popular destination for events throughout the twentieth century, the bandstand burnt down in 1996.

The local community and the community councils surrounding the park weren’t about to give up. The charity Queen’s Park Arena Ltd was formed and after much effort the bandstand was given a fresh lease of life and, in 2012 a newly refurbished Queen’s Park Arena was launched to the public.

But not for long unfortunately! Scottish Water’s recent consolidation works in Queen’s Park have meant restricted public access to the arena making this relaunch a very exciting event in the Southside calendar.

Evelyn Silber, chairwoman of Queen’s Park Arena Ltd said: “We are excited about the potential of our partnership with Inhouse. We raised the funds and restored the Arena. With Inhouse’s expertise and experience we look forward to the development of an active and varied programme.

“Both local groups and some larger scale events will now become a reality.

“Queen’s Park Arena was begun and is still run by local people, as is Inhouse, which should make for a strong community-based organisation attracting lots of local support.”